The present invention relates to an electronic component mounting structure suitable for mounting an electronic component with a shaft projecting from the inside thereof onto a board.
Among conventional electronic components are those having a plurality of rotary electronic component body parts installed in association with a single shaft or multiple shafts rotatable about the same axis of rotation such that the rotary electronic component body parts are stacked on top of each other in the axial direction of the shaft [for example, see Japanese Utility Model Application Public Disclosure (KOKAI) No. Hei 3-126003]. Electronic components of this type are arranged to enable the plurality of rotary electronic component body parts to be rotatively operated individually in response to the rotation of the shaft.
FIG. 7 is a side view showing an example of a mounting structure for mounting an electronic component 450 with the above-described structure onto a board 400. As shown in the figure, the electronic component 450 has two rotary electronic component body parts 460 and 470 stacked on top of each other in the axial direction of a shaft 451 into an integral structure. The rotary electronic component body parts 460 and 470 have terminal plates 461 and 471 projecting from respective sides thereof. The terminal plates 461 and 471 are input/output terminals of the rotary electronic component body parts 460 and 470 and made from metallic plates.
The electronic component 450 is secured to the board 400 by inserting the shaft 451 of the electronic component 450, together with a bearing member 453 therefor, into a through-opening 401 provided in the board 400 from the lower side thereof and then engaging a securing means 480, e.g. a nut, with a thread portion provided on the outer periphery of the bearing member 453. Meanwhile, the terminal plates 461 and 471 are bent toward the board 400 at portions thereof projecting from the respective sides of the rotary electronic component body parts 460 and 470. The distal end portions of the bent terminal plates 461 and 471 are inserted into respective terminal plate connecting portions 403 defined by through-holes provided in the board 400, and then connected and secured to respective circuit patterns on the board 400 provided around the terminal plate connecting portions 403 by securing means 407, e.g. soldering. When the shaft 451 is rotated, for example, the two rotary electronic component body parts 460 and 470 are rotatively driven individually. Consequently, electrical outputs delivered to the terminal plates 461 and 471 change individually.
The conventional mounting structure for mounting the electronic component 450 onto the board 400, however, uses a securing means 480, e.g. a nut, to secure the electronic component 450 to the board 400. Therefore, the securing operation is complicated.
In addition, the terminal plates 461 and 471 projecting from the respective sides of the rotary electronic component body parts 460 and 470 have to be bent approximately at right angles toward the board 400. Owing to possible errors in the bending position or the bending angle of the terminal plates 461 and 471, it is difficult to insert the distal ends of the terminal plates 461 and 471 into the respective terminal plate connecting portions 403 of the board 400.